The present invention relates to an extendable heel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a height adjustable heel which includes a locking mechanism disposed within the heel and a corresponding key that controls the position of the heel.
Shoes for men and women are readily available with heels which take a variety of sizes, shapes, and dimensions. For walking purposes, a relatively short heel is usually preferable. For dress occasions, the heel is preferably high, and for various other occasions it may be of intermediate height. Although high heels are fashionable, walking or performing other tasks often causes discomfort to the wearer, causing removal of the shoe. However, removing one's shoes risks scratches or punctures of a bare foot due to rocks or other sharp objects found on the ground. Some individuals will carry multiple shoes on their person, each having various heel heights should the need to interchange shoes be desired. Other women prefer to wear shoes with relatively low heels at one time of the day, for example, while commuting to work, and then change to shoes with relatively high heels while at work, only to change back to the shoes with low heels after work. This has the often prohibitive downside of requiring the carrying of another such pair of shoes and the process of changing shoes is very time consuming. Additionally, it is inappropriate to remove one's shoes in some venues.
Other individuals may simply choose to wear a more comfortable shoe having a lower heel at all times. However, because of the variations in styling and preference, selecting shoes based on the heel heights limits the amount of available shoes, which is already limited by the need for a variety of styles, materials, and colors. Also, all heel heights are not comfortable for all wearers. For example, some women prefer a shorter heel than a particular style of shoe is usually found having, and other women prefer a higher heel. In light of these general issues, a shoe having an extendable heel to accommodate variation in heel height is desirable.
Some attempts have been made to provide extendable heels having a pump or pin and spring assembly. However, these attempts to provide height adjustable heels fail to provide a mechanism for locking the height position of the heel. Further, these attempts fail to provide a locking mechanism disposed within the heel and a corresponding key that controls the position of the heel. Thus, it is desirable to provide an extendable heel that is tamperproof and individualized.
In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to height adjustable heels. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.